Ruck Me (Dublin Rugby #2) (Dublin Rugby Romance) Read online

  “You do know what I’m talking about, and I’m asking you to reconsider. Anyone but him.”

  “Why?” she whispered. “Why not Kevin?”

  “That’s not my secret to share, but trust me when I tell you you’ll regret it.”

  “What do you know about regret, Eoin?” she whispered back angrily. “You’ve had a ton of sex.”

  “I have.” Denying it would have been stupid since Aoife was friends with my first girlfriend, the one I’d lost my virginity to the night of the debutante ball—the same night Aoife jumped into the ocean in her gown. “Which is why I know you don’t want your first time to be with someone like him.”

  “Everyone I know is terrified of Declan, but not him. He couldn’t give a rat’s ass who my brother is. So if not Kevin, then who?”

  The noise in the pub fell away until it was just the two of us, our breaths mingling. My eyes met hers and held them for three long seconds before I said the thing I shouldn’t have said. The thing that changed our friendship forever.

  “What about me?”

  Chapter 2

  AOIFE

  Of two things I was certain: I hated hanging out in pubs and I’d definitely misheard what Eoin had just said, because there was absolutely, no-fecking-possible-way that he’d just volunteered to punch my v-card.

  Swallowing around my shock, I croaked, “I’m sorry, what?”

  Eoin’s serious eyes flicked between mine for a second and then he dropped them. Staring at hands clamped tightly between his knees, he said, “Never mind, forget I said anything.”

  Not fecking likely.

  “Just so I’m clear, did you really just say what I think you said?”

  Eoin raised his head and a smirk crossed his lips. “Crazy, yeah?”

  “Eoin!” I whisper-shouted. “What are you on about?”

  I tried to detect any trace of malice on his face—to make sure he wasn’t just messing with me—but he stared back in complete seriousness. Shit, this wasn’t a game to him.

  Quickly, he glanced around the room and then gripped my hand and dragged me toward the exit.

  Clumsily, I grabbed my coat and purse, alerting Tanya to my departure with a shrug—as if to say, “Don’t ask because I don’t even know what’s happening right now.”

  She waved back, her eyes turning speculative, before a satisfied smile broke out across her ruby red lips. I knew people were a little iffy about Tanya, but in all the time I’d known her, she’d been nothing but warm and genuine. I suspected all the side eye she got from other women was because of the rumors about how much sex she was having. Everyone knew she and Aidan had been hooking up off and on for years and while she never gave any details, she’d told me I should set my sights on one of Declan’s teammates instead of Kevin. According to her, rugby players had incredible stamina and could do amazing things with those big, bulky thighs of theirs. I hadn’t wanted to think about that too much since my brother was their captain, and yet as I trailed behind Eoin I couldn’t help but notice how high and tight his ass was in the jeans he wore.

  As we slipped outside, I hadn’t expected Eoin to keep holding my hand … or for him to lead me along the sidewalk to where he’d parked his car. Coming up alongside his Audi, he unlocked the door and gestured for me to get in.

  “Where are we going?” I asked skeptically.

  Honestly, I wasn’t sure I wanted to be alone with him right now. I wasn’t afraid of him, but I also didn’t trust the situation. He’d just told me he’d have sex with me and for a minute I worried that he was talking about right now.

  “We’re not going anywhere,” he answered, studying my face. “I think we need to talk and I didn’t want anyone listening.”

  He said it so coolly, as if he hadn’t just rocked my world. Then again, why shouldn’t he be calm, cool, and collected about something as insane as offering to take your friend’s virginity? Eoin had been having sex for years and if I’d learned anything at all by watching my brother, I knew that when you played professional rugby girls were never in short supply. Maybe sex didn’t mean anything to him, but it sure as hell meant something to me. Or at least I thought it did. I mean, wasn’t that why I was still a virgin? It wasn’t like I hadn’t had the opportunity to have sex. I’d just never chosen to take the bull by the horns, so to speak.

  Every time I’d turned down a guy, at the time I’d had a very valid reason for doing so. For example, the lad had bad breath, or he was nice enough, but kissing him hadn’t made my lady parts sing. Or there was the time my date wanted to have sex only because he really wanted my friend but she’d blown him off and he assumed I’d be a nice consolation prize.

  Eoin’s not like that though and you know it, my subconscious advised. And because I knew it to be true, I settled myself into his car, recalling all the times I’d said no to a quick tumble in the back seat with someone else. I wasn’t a prude, but I hardly wanted to give up my virginity to someone who wouldn’t even offer to take me back to his place. Then again, I thought as I ran my hand up and down the soft, supple leather, none of those lads had driven something like this. Sitting here now, I wondered what it might feel like against my naked skin.

  Do not go there Aoife Marie O’Shaughnessy!

  Outwardly, I cleared my throat as inwardly I acknowledged the only thing that lay down this path was a whole lot of regret.

  “So,” I began, my voice from cracking with nerves. “Are you supposed to talk, or am I?”

  “I guess I’ll start,” Eoin answered. “First, I want you to know I’m completely, one hundred percent serious about what I said back there. If you’re so desperate to lose your virginity that you’ll give it up to a creepy fucker like Kevin, I volunteer as tribute.”

  “Because fucking me would be so bad?” I spat.

  Everyone knew that tributes generally died in The Hunger Games and his offhand reference to the movie we’d seen together made my blood boil. I might not be experienced, but I didn’t think a few hours naked with me was a life or death situation. But then again, if Declan found out what Eoin and I were talking about, he might actually kill him … so maybe it was.

  Eoin’s eyes raked over me in the semi-darkness—first my eyes, then my lips, and back up to meet my interested gaze. Swallowing, he said, “No, I don’t think it would be.”

  Shit. That was not the answer I’d expected. If he’d have joked or said something about helping me out in my desperate time of need, I might have been able to respond coherently, but with his eyes devouring me and the admission that he’d enjoy it, my mind became even more of a jumbled mess.

  “In all the years we’ve known each other, you’ve never once been attracted to me.” I dropped his gaze and stared out the windshield as rain began to fall. “There was even that time we were playing spin the bottle and when it pointed my way, you refused to kiss me.”

  “I didn’t refuse to kiss you,” he answered softly. “At least, that’s not how I remember it.”

  “How do you remember it then?” I asked, turning to him, my back against the door.

  He pinched the bridge of his nose and raised his eyes to the ceiling. “That was a long time ago, Aoife.”

  “Yes, it was,” I agreed, “but it’s pertinent to what we’re talking about now. You’ve never wanted to kiss me before, much less have sex with me. I need to know what’s changed.”

  He dropped his hand into his lap and leaned his against the window. With his eyes closed, he replied, “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

  “Nope.”

  He opened his eyes to stare at me for several long, tense moments before finally responding. “Honestly?”

  “Yes, absolutely.”

  “The truth is, I never thought about you that way before.” He shrugged. “You were always just Aoife, the girl I’d grown up with. You’re fun to hang out with and you make me laugh, but until tonight, I’d honestly never thought about sex and you in the same sentence.”

  Ouch. Maybe tha
t’s why I was still a virgin. Perhaps that’s how all guys looked at me? Except no, I knew that wasn’t true. Plenty of guys had wanted to fuck me but I’d been the one to put the brakes on those shenanigans.

  “I’m not sure that makes me feel any better,” I whispered. “And now I’m even more confused. If you don’t view me that way, why would you volunteer to have sex with me?”

  He continued speaking, as if I hadn’t asked that very important question. “When I overheard you say you were still a virgin, my first reaction was shock. You know you’re beautiful, even with all that crazy pink hair, so I’m really not sure how some guy hasn’t managed to go there yet.” He smiled at me fondly, his eyes warm and … safe.

  “Trust me, it’s not for their lack of trying. I just never wanted to before … not with any of them at least.”

  He grinned, his dimples popping, and I realized what my statement must have sounded like to his egotistical ears.

  Before I could set him straight, he continued. “But when I heard you say you were thinking about doing it with Kevin, I saw red. Literal red. He’ll only hurt you.” Eoin’s eyes were heated and his jaw ticked with suppressed fury.

  Kevin wasn’t the ideal guy, true, but I wasn’t looking for a boyfriend. In fact, I didn’t want Kevin sticking around once it was over and done with. That’s why I’d decided on him—I was pretty sure he wanted nothing to do with relationships. So in that regard, he was the perfect candidate.

  “Just so we’re clear, I don’t think the sun rises and sets on Kevin Dempsey. I know he’s an asshole, but that’s fine because I’m not looking for a commitment. I just want to get the deed done so I can finally know what I’ve been missing out on. The longer I go, the bigger a deal my virginity is, and I’m tired of it being a big deal. So unless you can convince me otherwise, I’m calling Kevin tomorrow.”

  “Goddamn it, Aoife!” he snarled, leaning forward and grabbing my hand. Pulling me across the seat so our noses were practically touching, he continued in an angry whisper. “He won’t care that it’s your first time and he certainly won’t try to make it good for you. When I say he’ll hurt you, I don’t mean your feelings.” Dropping my hand like it had burned him, he signed and leaned away. “Please just trust me on this, yeah?”

  Before responding with some smart ass comment, I studied Eoin, acknowledging this wasn’t your regular I-don’t-like-this-guy talk. He had a real, deep seated hatred for Kevin. I could appreciate there was something bigger at work here than just my personal situation, but I wasn’t about to base all of my plans on something he wouldn’t share with me. And yet, why wouldn’t I? Eoin was my friend, Kevin wasn’t. Hell, I didn’t even like Kevin. If a person I’d known my entire life was begging me not to do something because it was bad for me, why wouldn’t I listen? The only reason I could come up with was because I was stubborn as a mule and that was no real reason at all.

  “If you say I need to stay away from Kevin, even if I don’t know why, I will. Okay?”

  “Thank Christ,” he muttered on a relieved sigh.

  But just because I’d ruled out Kevin, that didn’t mean I still didn’t have a plan to see through. I just needed to find someone else. It just couldn’t be Eoin.“But I’m not going to hold you to your offer.”

  “You’re not?”

  “It’s obvious you only volunteered because you were trying to keep me from making a mistake, but even without Kevin, I’m still doing this.”

  “Wait,” he said, turning quickly in his seat. “You won’t have sex with me, but you’re willing to have sex with someone else?”

  I nodded, my decision resolute. “Yes, I am. But don’t think I’m letting you off the hook entirely. You don’t have to worry about fucking me, but you’re still going to help me.”

  “I am?”

  “Yes,” I answered, making things up as I went along. I’d spent a lot of time formulating my previous plan and it had all fallen to shit. Besides, I’d always done better when I just winged it. “You’re going to teach me what guys like.”

  “Ah fuck,” he muttered, shaking his head.

  “You only have yourself to blame, you know. If you’d have just kept your mouth shut you could be inside right now.” My eyes flicked to the glowing blue clock on the dash. “In fact, you’d probably be leaving with some girl right about now, wouldn’t you?”

  He checked the time as well. “Yeah, I would,” he answered ruefully.

  “Like I said, you only have yourself to blame.”

  My brow furrowed in confusion at his sudden turnabout. An hour ago, he’d volunteered to have sex with me, but now the idea of teaching me what guys liked filled him with dread. He had a very warped sense of sacrifice.

  “Why the change of heart?” I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me. “Why were you happy to have sex with me, but the idea of talking to me about sex fills you with obvious dread?”

  Executing a three-point-turn, Eoin took off toward the highway. Once the car was up to speed, he glanced over at me, the grin back on his face. “I’m good at fucking, Aoife—very good—but I suck at talking.” When I sucked in a surprised gasp, he laughed. “I bet you’re re-thinking things now, aren’t you, sprite?”

  I crossed my arms over my chest and huffed. “I am not.”

  “Sure you aren’t. Now let’s get you home before Colleen freaks out about you being out all night.”

  The car fell silent as we zoomed down the highway toward the town where we’d both grown up. In the darkness of midnight, the sky illuminated by a winter moon, I watched Eoin drive, taking in his strong hands as they gripped the wheel lazily. My eyes traversed the planes of his face, taking in his cut cheekbones and his chiseled jaw, and then I let my gaze linger on his taut pecs, visible under his fitted t-shirt, and thought what have I gotten myself into?

  Because suddenly I knew he was right. I was re-thinking things. Re-thinking everything I’d ever thought about Eoin McGrath.

  And that was dangerous.

  Chapter 3

  Eoin: We should probably talk about how this is going to work.

  Aoife: I’d rather we not.

  Eoin: You say that now …

  Eoin: You don’t have to be embarrassed with me Aoife. I’m not those bitches you hang out with.

  Aoife: They’re not bitches!

  Eoin: Do they or do they not still give you shit for being a virgin?

  Aoife: Not anymore.

  Eoin: And that’s because?

  Aoife: Fine. Let’s get this over with.

  Eoin: That’s what I thought.

  Aoife: Fine. How is this supposed to work?

  Eoin: I have no fucking clue. I volunteered to punch your v-card, not to be your sex mentor.

  Aoife: I wasn’t going to fuck you Eoin.

  Eoin: Yes, Aoife. You’ve made that perfectly clear. But for the record, if you ever change your mind, the offer stands.

  Aoife: I’m not going to change my mind. But I do need to figure out some of the basics.

  Eoin: It’s not that hard.

  Eoin: That’s what she said!

  Aoife: That’s what she said!

  Eoin: Jinx!

  Aoife: Jinx!

  Eoin: Double jinx.

  Aoife: Damn.

  Aoife: I take it back, I don’t know if I can do this. Forget I ever said anything.

  Eoin: Yeah, not fucking likely.

  Aoife: Okay, then pretend like this never happened.

  Eoin: Yup, that’s not happening either.

  Aoife: You’re never going to let me live this down, are you?

  Eoin: What? The time you came up with a plan to lose your virginity to the biggest fucking asshole we know and then let me talk you out of it in favor of me giving you sex lessons instead? Yeah, probably not.

  Aoife: I didn’t say you had to give me sex lessons. I just want …

  Eoin: You just want what?

  Aoife: To know what I’m missing out on, okay.

  Aoife: There, I said it.
>
  Aoife: I don’t have the faintest fucking clue what happens between a man and a woman and I’m sick and tired of it.

  Eoin: I imagine you have some idea. I mean, I’ve seen you kissing guys before.

  Aoife: But that’s where it ends. Kissing.

  Eoin: That’s it? That’s all you’ve done? No blow jobs or anything.

  Aoife: I can’t believe I’m talking about this with you.

  Eoin: Too late to back out now. You’ve let the genie out of the bottle.

  Aoife: No blow jobs. I’ve never even given a hand job.

  Eoin: YOU’VE NEVER TOUCHED A DICK?

  Eoin: You’ve seen a dick though, right?

  Eoin: Right?

  Aoife: Does on Tumblr count?

  Eoin: Oh god, you’re killing me.

  Eoin: Let me make sure I have the facts straight. You’ve never touched, much less seen, a dick up close and personal?

  Aoife: That is correct.

  Eoin: How?

  Aoife: What do you mean, how?

  Eoin: I mean exactly that. How are you 21 and never seen a real live dick?

  Aoife: It just hasn’t come up.

  Eoin: Oh, I’m sure it’s come up. (See what I did there?) So, how’d you avoid it? You’ve had boyfriends.

  Aoife: Not really. I mean, I’ve dated a few guys, but haven’t really *liked* any of them. If I couldn’t imagine myself holding a conversation with them, I wasn’t about to let them anywhere near my vagina.